Cowboys in New York 2002
by Pegasus M
Summary: Sharpshooter Alex Clayborne from the West tries to escape his past and ends up lost, in New York. Old fic, from 2002.
1. Author's Note

**Title:** Cowboys in New York

**Author:** Pegasus M

**Summary:** Sharpshooter Alex Clayborne tries to escape his past and ends up lost, in New York.

**Rating:** T

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Newsies_ or any of the wonderful characters from the movie - they belong to _Disney_. Other chracters, such as Alex Clayborne and his family, are of my own creation. And still other original characters belong to their respective owners, who were kind enough to help me with the casting.

- - - - -

**Author's Note:  
**This story was written in 2002 (five years ago!). Having lost the story due to a computer crash, I decided to play it safe this time around, and upload the parts I've found through old emails for _archival_ purposes. I've only been able to recover the first three chapters, sadly. Rather than reading this, however, I recommend the rewrite of this story, of which I am in the (slow) process of doing.


	2. Prologue

_**Author's Note: **This story was written in 2002; Rather than reading this, I recommend trying the rewritten version, which will be up soon.  
__**Disclaimer: **__I do not own __Newsies__ or any of the wonderful characters from the movie - they belong to __Disney__. Other chracters, such as Alex Clayborne and his family, are of my own creation. And still other original characters belong to their respective owners, who were kind enough to help me with the casting._

- - - - -

**Prologue  
**_Virginia, 1899_

He cast his eyes to the sky, using his hand to shade his eyes from the bright sun. Dropping his hand, he focused on the target far ahead of him. He pulled the trigger and fired.

"Perfect shot," his brother, Cole, commented as he strolled across towards him.

"As always," Alex mumbled with a slight grin.

Cole laughed. "You definitely deserve that nickname of yours, Big Shot."

"Aw c'mon, Cole. Us Claybornes are all sharpshooters 'round here," as he walked towards the target. He studied the bullet that was freshly fired right in the center of the set up target.

He slugged his rifle over his shoulder with satisfaction.

"I think that's enough target practice for the day," he said with a nod.

"Oh Alex!" came a high-pitched voice, shrieking his name.

Alex rolled his eyes. "Not again," he muttered under his breath, as he slowly tilted his head around to meet Cindy McDonohay's presence.

A small lady with hair that was carefully pinned and curled to perfection was heading towards him. She was wearing a pale pink dress, tailored with mass amounts of lace and ruffles.

"Alex! Alex!" she said as she rushed towards him with her skirts picked up.

"Yeah?" Alex drawled in annoyance.

"Alex! Oh, you'll never believe what I heard today! I heard from Linda Kindsley who heard from Kelly Ramblain who heard from Tina Tenseltin who overheard a conversation between Robert Laughton and his fiancée, Felina Gatling…" she took a breath before she announced what she heard, "That they're not going to go through with the engagement and wedding!" she squealed. "Oh isn't it just SCANDALOUS? I can't wait to tell Lise! Oh!" she exclaimed as she strung her arm through Alex's. "You MUST escort me over to Lise's house! I can't wait any longer to tell her!"

Cindy was dragging Alex to Lise Honey's home. His three older brothers, Cole, Iain, and Trey, were outside saddling the horses in the stable. He caught the laughing expressions on their faces before he left his 10-acre backyard. Iain was choking on the water he had been chugging down because he was laughing so hard.

Alex groaned.

"You know? I don't think this shooting target whatnot is very good for you. Gentleman do not shoot. They… mingle. And of course they are very… gentleman-like," she said giggling.

"Women mingle," Alex informed her. "Men… don't."

"Oh, don't be silly! You just don't know what gentleman do. It's because you're from out west. They're barbaric out there, aren't they? Don't worry though, once we're engaged, you'll _have_ to be a gentleman! And we'll also have to do something about that unusual hair of yours, too," she added, regarding Alex's unruly hair that was usually sticking up.

"Oh look, we're here! Thank you Alex. See, you're becoming a gentleman already! Escorting little ol' me all the way here," she said with a phony innocence.

"Yeah yeah, whatever," Alex said, already turning away to walk back home.

"Good day, Alex!" she yelled after him.

She was the only lady in town he couldn't stand. Sure the others that always flocked around him were almost as frivolous as she was, but none were as annoying. He was as charming and as charismatic as he could be with all the other women in town, but with Cindy McDonohay, it was an entirely different story.

He was walking at a slow pace when he suddenly heard shouts of struggling from an alleyway. Curious, he decided to investigate what was going on.

Alex slowly stepped into the alley. He was stopped by a gun pointed directly at his head.

"Don't… follow. Ya hear?" he heard a raspy voice say from the shadows.

"Nah nah, wait, Muggs. Who're you threatenin' over there?" someone else said, as he pushed his way in front of the group of men in the alley.

Alex's eyes adjusted to the dark shadows and his body tensed when he realized that the group of people he was standing in front of were Scar's gang. Scar walked up to him with a grin on his face.

"So, Big Shot, we meet again," Scar said. "Surely you didn't think that your family was goin' to escape from us by movin' all the way here."

"What're you doing here, Scar? Ain't you s'posed to be out West in your territory with the rest of your uglies?" Alex shot back with intensity.

Scar almost laughed. He enjoyed the challenge this young boy was presenting. This Alex "Big Shot" Clayborne was known throughout the entire west as being the greatest sharpshooter ever to live.

"Look, Big Shot, don't you be worryin'. Our business here in the east is over. Well, almost over." He added. "Just one more Clayborne to go."

Alex's eyes widened. "What the-?" he started when he noticed one of the gang members begin to take his gun out from the corner of his eye. Alex quickly drew his pistol and fired at his hand.

"SHIT!" the man screamed in agony. Scar turned back to see what happened to his follower, and it gave Alex the chance to make a run for it.

He raced out of the alley and to his home. He turned the corner and jumped over the fence enclosing his family's large house. He immediately ran to the backyard where his brothers had been. His eyes searched for them, but he found no one. He swung around and ran inside.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw the bodies. The five bodies that lay on the floor covered in blood. He fell to his knees, chest heaving, choking from the shock.

"A-Alex," came the faint whisper.

His head snapped up. "Mama?" He made his way by her side.

"Alex… get away from here," she said, her eyes rimmed with tears.

"Mama, you're gonna make it-," he told her, taking hold of her.

"N-no. I'm not. Alex?" she called his name, as her hand held his cheek.

He took hold of her hand. "Yeah, I'm here," he said softly.

"Take care of yourself," she whispered, as the life in her drifted away.

He slowly dropped her hand. Get away from here. How? He stood up and turned towards the backyard door. He left the house without turning around once. He didn't want to remember his family that way.

Get away from here. His walking increased in speed until he found himself running towards the train yards. His mother's words kept echoing in his mind. But he had business to take care of first.

He searched for Scar at the train yards. His eyes were burning with rage as he looked for him and his gang followers. But he couldn't see them anywhere.

He was so angry that he didn't realize that he was being followed. He felt someone tap his shoulder from behind. Alex turned around.

"Looking for me?" Scar asked with a sneer, as he swung the club directly at his head.

"Nice job, boss. What we gonna do with him now?" Muggs asked, looking down at Big Shot's motionless body.

"Pick him up and toss 'im in that train," Scar ordered, pointing toward one of the train cars. "Now!"

"All right, all right," Muggs complied, waving for the others to help him.

They picked his body up and quickly threw him into the train car. They slammed the door shut and turned to face their leader.

"Nice job boys," Scar said as he led them to the opposite track to head back west.

"To New York!" the conductor of the train shouted, as he pulled on the train horn.

Then the train was off, sputtering to life and slowly gaining speed as it moved. And in one of the cars, lay the legendary young man, Alex "Big Shot" Clayborne.

- - - - -

_New York City, 1899_

The wind blowing freely through her loose hair, she rode past the tracks of the train yard. The workers were unloading the supplies that the train brought back all the way from Virginia. She slowed down her horse's pace suddenly when something caught her eye. All the train car doors were wide open, but there was something peculiar about the last car all the way in the back. The workers hadn't got to it yet.

"Come on, Pristine," she said as she directed her horse towards it. As she got closer the realization of what the peculiar object was hit her. It was an arm.

She jumped off her horse and hurried towards the train. She looked inside and gasped. There was a man sprawled on the floor of the train with his arm hanging over the opening of the door.

"Sir? Sir? Are you all right?" she asked, trying to shake the man awake. She noticed that he had large dark bruises alongside his face.

The stranger moaned.

"Oh good! You're alive," she said with relief. He slowly rolled around and lay on his back.

"Are you all right?" she asked again.

"No," he managed to say in a whisper. "Who are you?" he asked, still not opening his eyes.

She smiled at him. "Pegasus. And you?"

She waited a few moments for him to answer when his eyes snapped open.

"I don't remember."


	3. Chapter One

_**Author's Note: **This story was written in 2002; I recommend the rewrite because I'm aiming to make it better than this original.  
**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Newsies or any of the wonderful characters from the movie - they belong to Disney. Other chracters, such as Alex Clayborne and his family, are of my own creation. And still other original characters belong to their respective owners, who were kind enough to help me with the casting._

**- - - - -**

**Chapter One**

"So lemme get dis straight: He's probably from Virginia, and he don't remember who he is?" Jack asked.

"Yup," Peg answered.

"Dat's da dumbest thing I've eva heard."

"Jack!"

"Awright, sorry Peg."

"It's not funny. Did you see him? He looks horrible," Peg said with sympathy. "He's been hurt."

"I figured dat much out."

"So you think he can stay?"

"He can stay in da Lodgin' House if he can pay for it," Jack told her. "Besides, dat's Kloppman's decision."

"Right. I'll be paying for him in the meantime," Peg said as she started up the stairs to the bunkroom.

"What? Ya shoa you wanna do dat, Peg?"

"Yes I'm sure. I get enough money, Jack," she said with a smile and turned to go into the room.

He was in a bad condition. He hadn't eaten anything, had no water, and his physical condition was almost heartbreaking. And he had no memory. Countless times she had asked him if he was sure he didn't know his name, and every time it was the same answer: "I don't remember."

She pulled a chair up next to the bunk he was lying in. He was sleeping… or she thought he was anyway.

"Are you gonna ask me if I remember my name again?" he asked with his eyes closed.

"Yeah… do you remember your name yet?"

"Nope."

"You remember where you live?"

"Nope."

"You remember how you look?"

He paused before answering. "Nope."

"You remember how you ended up on a train with those bruises?"

"Nope."

She sighed. Then in exasperation she asked, "You remember who I am?"

She saw the corners of his mouth tugging into a small grin. "Yeah," he replied.

"Who am I?" she asked, waiting for a smart answer.

"My guardian angel."

- - - - -

In the Lodging House, which was formally known as the Newsboys Lodging House, were eight girls who were the first to bring about the co-ed Lodging House.

"I wonder what his story is," Athena said in curiosity as she plopped down on her bunk. Her hazel eyes revealed her concern for him, even though she barely knew the stranger at all. She ran her hand through her auburn hair and looked across at Peg. "Did he remember anything else?"

"Not at all," Peg answered. She slowly scanned the room.

There was Athena who was taking out her journal out of the drawer. She was always known as the quiet, creative one of the bunch. She had almost a noble character, always thinking of others before herself. It might've been that noble quality of hers that drew Kid Blink to her.

Cutie Pie sighed dreamily. "I want him to call me his guardian angel…" She was the first girl to occupy space in the Lodging House. Outgoing, sweet, and funny, she was also the one to welcome the new girls into the Lodging House.

Peg rolled her eyes and laughed at her.

She grinned. "I bet under all dose bruises and swells is a good lookin' guy," she said matter of factly. She was brushing her flowing brown hair as she spoke, with her eyes twinkling as she thought about him. "Of course, I'm shoa Mush is the best lookin' guy I'se eva laid eyes on."

Emu threw a pillow in Cutie Pie's direction, with a smirk on her face. Emu was proudly crowned the jester among the girls because of her love to laugh. Her blue grey eyes sparkled with amusement.

"I wonder why he was on a train looking like that," Stripes added in question. Stripes, with her curly dark blonde hair and dark eyes, was well known for her sarcastic humor.

True walked in from the washroom then. "Can ya imagine not knowin' anythin' 'bout your past? Must be pretty scary," she added thoughtfully. True was a unique person. When the girls had first met her, she was extremely shy and quiet, but as time passed, she began to open up to others.

"I don't want to be imaginin' it," Martini said. "Is there any way we can help him? He doesn't even have a name…" Martini was truly one of a kind. No one could believe that she believed herself to be plain, with her waist long blonde hair, fair skin and bright blue eyes.

"If ya ask me, I'm not so shoa if we'se can trust 'im," Spat announced. She, like Stripes, was also known for her sarcasm and also for her cool and calm character.

"Spat neva trusts anyone," Emu stated lightly.

"Aw, but I trust you guys," Spat said, smiling. "You know me."

The girls of the Manhattan Lodging House were settling in for the night, and all were wondering about the new person in the bunkroom next to theirs.

"And I wonder why you girls aren't sleepin' yet. Get goin', sellin' papers tomorrow," Kloppman said through the doorway.

"Yes, Kloppy," Spat responded with a grin.

He shook his head and walked down the hall to order the boys to bed.

"Night goils,"­ True said.

"Night," everyone echoed to each other.

- - - - -

He pulled his hat down further to shade his eyes from the blazing sun. His fingers were slowly tracing the outline of the gun in his pocket. In front of him, about a quarter of a mile away, stood five targets. There was a crowd that had gathered, anxious to see what was going to happen. He pulled his gun out now, twirling it with amazing ease. Then suddenly shots were fired, surprising the audience.

"Perfect shots," someone yelled from where the targets were.

"As always," he heard himself say.

"Hey, wake up," someone said, shaking him. He opened his eyes slowly and saw two girls standing over him.

It was all a dream, he thought wearily.

"Drink this," Martini told him.

"Ya know what I was thinkin'? He don't have a name so how 'bout Spikes?" Emu suggested.

He looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Look at yer hair. It's… spikey! So we can call you Spikes," Emu explained.

"All right," he finally agreed. "Spikes it is. And what are your names, gals?"

"Well, I'm Martini and-," Martini introduced.

"And my name's Emu," she finished for herself.

"Excellent. So when can I get outta here?" Spikes asked.

"Not yet apparently. You're not well enough," Martini informed him.

"More days in bed for me, huh?"

"Definitely," Peg said as she walked into the room. "Girls, we have to go sell papers."

"All right, we're coming," Emu replied. "Stay in bed," she ordered Spikes before they left the room.

Spikes sighed and closed his eyes. He thought back on his dream, which had felt strangely real.

Several days passed and True and her brother, Jack, were walking towards Tibby's, the small but popular restaurant.

"Jack, yer too rough on him," True said to her brother. "He just lost his memory, dat's all."

"I just don't know anythin' about him."

She snorted. "Obviously, because he, well, lost his memory," she told him, shaking her head at his stubbornness.

They reached Tibby's and met with the newsies that were already there.

Athena looked up. "You guys seen Spat?"

"Nah, she isn't here yet?" Jack asked.

"Not yet," Race answered in a low voice.

"Isn't she usually here first?" True questioned.

"Yeah, but she's probably just late," Athena said, but she had a strange feeling that something was wrong.

"Don't worry about it," Blink tried to console her. "She'll be here soon."

"I am getting outta this bed," Spikes declared. He struggled getting up, the result of being immobile for days. He reached over to the glass of water on top of the dresser and gulped the liquid down. He stretched his arms and his body, trying to regain the energy and movement.

The distribution bell rang for the afternoon edition to be sold. The newsies stood up and began to go back to work.

"Where is Spat?" Cutie Pie wondered out loud as she exited Tibby's, holding Mush's hand. Mush suddenly stopped and Cutie Pie bumped into him from behind.

"She's in trouble," Mush said under his breath.

"Don't move! I'll shoot her!" the man yelled insanely. He had a gun pressed against Spat's shoulder.

"Dey ain't gonna care, ya bum. I'se only a newsie," Spat muttered.

"Shut up!" he screamed at her.

"Awright, but I'se told ya so," Spat said, trying to remain calm. The crazy man was choking her; his arm was wrapped around her neck and he was cutting off her air. She would've knocked the man out already, if she didn't know that the gun was actually loaded.

Spikes was slowly walking by when he noticed the large crowd ahead of him. He made his way towards the front of the crowd, next to a police officer, and saw one of the newsie girls from the Lodging House being forcefully held by some man.

"Don't move!" the man kept on yelling, his eyes showing that he had truly lost his mind.

Without thinking, as if it were instinct, Spikes glanced down at the police officer's gun.

"Why don't you do somethin' about this?!" someone from the crowd yelled.

"We have this under control, Miss," the officer told her.

"Doesn't look like it to me," Spikes mumbled. "Excuse me, sir," he said, as he grabbed the gun from the cop.

Immediately, Spikes focused on the hand of the man holding Spat.

"What do you think you're-?!" the cop began to shout.

A loud gunshot rang out, causing some women to scream in terror.

Spat had been squeezing her eyes shut when she heard it. She suddenly felt the air rushing back to her lungs and opened one eye. She had been released. She opened her other eye and looked down at the man, who was now clutching his hand in agony.

All eyes were on the young man who pulled the trigger.

Spikes handed the gun back to the officer, who was now staring at him in shock.

"Thanks," he said with a nod and walked towards Spat. "You all right?"

"Uh… yeah. Thanks Spikes," she said to him in awe.

"No problem."

The crowd broke out of their stupor and began to chatter excitedly on what they had witnessed, and began to dissipate.

"Spikes."

He turned around to face Jack Kelly.

"Welcome to New York."


	4. Chapter Two

_**Author's Note: **This story was written in 2002; I recommend the rewrite because I'm aiming to make it better than this original.  
**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Newsies or any of the wonderful characters from the movie - they belong to Disney. Other chracters, such as Alex Clayborne and his family, are of my own creation. And still other original characters belong to their respective owners, who were kind enough to help me with the casting._

**- - - - -**

**Chapter Two**

"You really can't remember anythin'?" Race questioned, looking up momentarily from his game of cards against Emu and Spat.

"Nothin'," Spikes confirmed.

"Ha! Beat you both again!" Emu celebrated, as she lay down her cards. "Oh… sorry. We're talking 'bout somethin' aren't we?"

Spikes grinned.

"So dat means you can't tell us where you learned how ta shoot like dat, huh?" Jack asked as he strode into the room.

"Guess not."

"Dat was amazin'. I mean it was right on target," Mush commented.

"Right on target…" Spikes repeated. _Sounds familiar._

"Upstairs kids. You can't stay up all night," Kloppman announced.

Everyone slowly stopped their activities for the night and lethargically headed up the stairs to the bunkrooms.

"I am going to swoon with jealousy if he has a girl somewhere," Peg said as soon as the girls entered their room.

"No kidding," True agreed emphatically.

"I told ya!" Cutie Pie exclaimed. "But I'm wit Mush, so…" She had a faraway look on her face.

"She's gone to Mush-land again," Emu said, laughing.

"No, goilie, Spot is the greatest," Stripes declared with a wide smile. "I'm seein' him tomorrow too."

They all washed and got ready for bed.

Athena was writing in her journal, like she did, every night. Tonight she was recounting the feelings that she had when something was wrong and of Spikes' impressive accuracy that saved Spat.

"Night girls," Kloppman said from the doorway as usual, hinting for them to get to sleep.

"Night!"

The girls tucked themselves into bed.

"I am going to dream of Skitts tonight," Martini said softly with a smile. Everyone laughed softly then began to slowly go into slumberland.

"He's got me trust," Spat whispered before she fell asleep.

- - - - -

"_Draw your gun, Big Shot. Lesse if all them stories 'bout you are true," the shadowy stranger challenged. _

"_You sure?" he asked. _

_The stranger grinned, revealing a mess of crooked teeth. "Draw… your… gun. Unless you be afraid."_

_He chuckled. "You're right, I am afraid. I'm afraid you're makin' a mistake, pal."_

"_Draw your gun," the other man repeated. The stranger was so busy trying to scare the young man down that he didn't notice that his gun was already drawn. Before he knew it, his own gun was shot right out of his hand. _

"_You still sure?" he asked again. The bystanders began to laugh._

_The stranger bent down to pick up his gun. "You wait, Big Shot. You'll pay fer what you did to Scar."_

Spikes woke up suddenly. He looked over at the dresser and reached for the glass of water. After refreshing himself, he began to think back on the dream. He tried to remember who he was, where he was from, how he was on a train bruised up. But nothing came to mind. The farthest he could remember was opening his eyes to Pegasus Montgomery. He smiled a bit thinking back on that day. He came to the realization that he looked forward to her pressing questions, asking him if he remembered anything. Because she was near.

He shook his head to rid his thoughts. He was supposed to be focusing on trying to remember. But his mind was only filled with the image of Peg, his first memory. In frustration, he didn't sleep a wink until he gave up in the early morning.

- - - - -

An entire week passed by, and Spikes hadn't left the Lodging House. He was taking the time to heal completely.

"You think he's all right?" Martini asked. The newsies were all gathered in Tibby's for their midday break.

"Of course he's awright. He's a guy," Skittery answered as if that alone explained everything.

Martini rolled her eyes and nudged Skitts in the stomach.

"There seems to be something bothering him," Peg said.

Cutie Pie leaned in towards Peg from across the table.

"You _like_ him," she said, smiling.

"What? No, I don't think so," Peg denied, shaking her head to emphasize what she was saying.

"Eh, we all know ya do," Emu said. "You're in Africa, dat's what."

Everyone turned their heads towards her with a questioning look.

Emu sighed then began to laugh. "Africa? Denial? _The Nile_, denial, get it?" she explained, laughing even more.

"Oh, that's good," Blink said with a grin.

"Ah-ha!" Davey laughed.

"Very clever, Emu," Race credited, with his arm around Spat. Ever since the incident the week before, he had been extra careful for her, showing his affection for her.

"Wait, you like Spikes?" Mush questioned.

"Mush, where has your mind been? Of course she does!" Cutie Pie told him.

"My mind's only been on you, Cutie," Mush teased.

"Hey now- how does everyone know-? Can't believe you guys think this nonsense," Peg said laughing and leaning back in her seat.

They all ordered their lunch and were in the middle of eating when the bell on the front door jingled.

All the girls' mouths dropped open when they saw the person walk in. He was tall, had the most intense dark eyes and dark hair that stuck up unusually. When he saw them, he grinned and began to walk towards them. It was Spikes. Cutie Pie had been right. Underneath the bruises and swells was a _very_ good looking guy.

"Nevermind. You're right. I do like him," Peg whispered at that moment.

"Don't blame ya dere," True responded.

"Holy-," Emu began to say.

"So is this where you guys and gals are every afternoon?" Spikes asked, pulling up a chair.

"Heya Spikes, nice ta see ya up and out again," Blink said, as he patted him on the back.

"You're looking good," Peg remarked.

"You too, sweetheart," Spikes said with a devilish grin.

"I didn't mean-."

"I know what you meant," he told her with a wink.

Peg had to laugh from his antics.

It was true though. The swelling and bruises were completely gone. He looked healthy and alive for the first time.

Stripes walked into Tibby's with Spot Conlon, leader of the Brooklyn newsies.

"Heya guys, how's it-?" she had started to say when she saw Spikes. "Spikes?!"

"Hey Stripes," he greeted.

"Oh, uh, heya," Stripes said, getting over her initial shock and regaining her composure.

"I don't like da way youse starin' at dat guy," Spot told her with a stern look.

"I'm not starin'!" she retorted. "If I was going to stare at something it would be you, now be quiet."

Spot shook his head and muttered something under his breath.

"Spikes," he introduced himself to Spot.

"Conlon," Spot said, with a nod. "Been hearin' some things about you. Sharpshooter, eh?"

"Sharpshooter… yeah, guess I am."

"You any good wit a slingshot?"

"A slingshot?" Spikes questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Spot had a smirk on his face now. "Da weapon of choice."

- - - - -

"So dis is Brooklyn," Jack publicized.

The four guys, Jack, David, Spikes, led by Spot, were walking towards the Brooklyn Docks later that afternoon.

Spikes looked around him and nodded. "All right. So what's special 'bout it?"

Spot gave him a fierce glance.

Jack shook his head at Spot and explained to Spikes. "Brooklyn's da toughest place in all of New York, and probably everywhere else."

"Doesn't look that tough to me," Spikes said as he looked around.

"Ya got guts ta say dat in me territory, I'll give ya dat," Spot said without turning around.

"You don't want to get on his bad side," Dave told Spikes.

"Gotcha," Spikes acknowledged. There was something about the way this Spot Conlon held himself that made all the newsies instantly respect him.

They reached the docks and Spot suddenly faced him.

"All right, Spikes. Ya see dem bottles ova dere?" Spot asked him, pointing towards the bottles that stood high up on the railings of the dock.

"Yeah, I see them."

Spot handed him a slingshot and a handful of marbles. "Shoot 'em."

"Shoot the bottles?"

"Dat's what I said. See how many you use before you hit one."

Spikes studied the slingshot and pocketed all but one of the marbles. He positioned the marble and pulled back on the sling. He naturally focused on the first bottle and let go. The sound of a glass shattering echoed through the air. That was then immediately followed by another and another, until all the bottles lay in pieces.

"Excellent. Nice," Spikes commented regarding the slingshot.

"Told ya he was good, Spot," Jack said.

Spot nodded his head slowly in approval. "Impressive."


End file.
